


A Small Price to Pay For Salvation

by orphan_account



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Abuse, Brooding, Character Analysis, Crossover, Death, Dialogue Heavy, F/F, F/M, Flowey (Undertale) Being an Asshole, Gen, Heavy Angst, Hurt No Comfort, Psychological Torture, Team Up, The Author Regrets Nothing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2020-02-27 15:23:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18741751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Thanos, the god who once murdered half of the Avengers, slew the God of Mischief, and wielded the Infinity Gauntlet and survived, now faces a new challenge.Purge the Underground, let the survivors build a new world atop the mountain of corpses he will produce.





	A Small Price to Pay For Salvation

“Gamora, do you see the moths? watch as they fly….Beautiful creatures….”

 

“Father, I see them! They fluttering around! How do they know where to go?”

 

“They don’t, destiny guides them, they don’t know what guides them, they only know one thing, to survive, that wherever they go….Destiny will guide them.”

 

“But, what if they get lost? What if they get tired? What wi-”

 

“Destiny will prevent that, just like it will prevent us from failing, we cannot fail little one, even if it means sacrifice and bloodshed…. **OUR** destiny is far too important….”

 

“But….What if….”

 

“Shhhh, don’t perturb yourself by thinking too much….Destiny….Sacrifice...All of these things are balanced together to create a true journey….You will learn much from these tools….Nothing can come without sacrifice….It’s the will to allow such sacrifices that truly makes you more powerful than anyone….The hardest sacrifices require the strongest of wills….Do you understand little one?”

 

“Y...Yes father...I think I do….”

 

“Good….Now….I want you to kill the moths for me…..”  
  
“What?! F-Father?!”

 

“They are insects, they are beautiful creatures….But they are also a distraction….You cannot allow your destiny to be placed on hold while you chase colorful insects….”

 

“B-But I can’t kill them! They’re just bugs! And they’ve done no harm to us!”

 

“Do you want to become the greatest woman in the universe? The best you can ever possibly be?”

 

“Yes….”

 

“Then you must be willing to kill those that will simply distract you from destiny….Besides, it’ll be merciful, they won’t feel anything……”

 

“A-Are you sure?”

 

“I’ve never lied to you Gamora….Why would I start now?”

 

“Okay….If it’s painless….I...I’ll do it…..For you Father….”

 

*CRUNCH*

 

“Good…..Now…..Prepare yourself…...

 

  
**Because Next time it will be a person** …….”

 

* * *

  
  
  


The golden flowers….Their soft petal brushed against the mad titans back as he lay face up, the only visible light coming from a hole in the mountain.

 

He was in the underground….He hadn’t fallen or jumped or even heard of this mythical realm….He just….Arrived, like a plague upon a thriving land, no one could predict him, and no one could stop him….

 

He had killed so many...An uncountable number….The universe, nay, multiple universes had been wiped out by him so many different times….And so many times had he been killed by someone; decapitated, crushed, bled out….It was starting to become exhausting….All of the sacrifices, how many times did he kill Gamora? How many times did he win just to have it all undone in front of him?

  
This….This was new….The underground was new….The Avengers, Gamora, his order? All of them were null and void….

 

The left side of his body was fried….It burned and ached just to move it a little, the gauntlet was on his hand, but the stones were cracked, almost useless to him now….

 

It might have been a blessing not having to worry about those foolish stones….He could just….Rest…..Enjoy himself on the flowers once more….Maybe….He didn’t need to constantly wipe out everything? Maybe he was better here….Allowing whatever resided in this underground to live harmoniously?

 

No. He had ignored destiny before, he had allowed it to slowly slip through his fingers, desperately trying to grasp it only for it to completely slip by, gone….Forever….

 

He had to complete his task, it was mercy, it was destiny, and was not going to go by without him at least attempting to achieve it….Stones be damned, he would simply find another way of wiping out half of everything…..

 

As he began to sit up, the burn on the left side of his body caused him to groan in pain.

 

“Aghhhh”

 

It was like being branded with the sun, the pain nearly caused him to lay back down, but he bit through it grinding his teeth as he stood up.

 

The gauntlet wasn’t destroyed, but it certainly was damage, it seemed even more fried than the titan himself! The stones all shined very poorly, their main power, wiping out everything had been completely used up….But they worked in small bits, the power stone could still fire a small beam of energy and the reality stone could distort some aspects of the world if need be.

 

Beyond this, the stones were just colorful rocks….the space stone didn’t even shine a color….meaning he couldn’t jump around portals anytime soon…..

 

As he looked around, he saw nothing but darkness surrounding the flower bed, he glanced at his burned arm.

 

It was horrible, he certainly couldn’t fight with it, and the power of the stones would probably just burn it even worse!

 

“Retiring on a farm….” He chuckled to himself and shook his head, the thought seemed like a distant dream based on how many times he had been killed, always just out of reach, and even in scenarios where he won, they still would just track him down and kill him….There was no winning….Just the endless cycle of death, which was getting exhausting….It just had to end….

 

As he began to walk towards the darkness, he felt the weight of his boots, they seemed heavier than usual, but then again….Everything felt heavy to him now…..

 

What was the point of all this? Killing everyone…? They didn’t love him for it...And they certainly weren’t thankful either….Was it just an excuse to see so many die? His friends, foes, and family all perished because of him….But….Why? Why did his destiny involve genociding half of the universe? Why is it when he won he felt empty? He held omnipotent power every time….Yet every victory was Phyric mentally and physically….He was the only one that made the heavens and hells of the universe run red with blood….But at what cost? His daughters, the only family he had, wished him dead….He abused Nebula for so long now….It didn’t even feel like she was real, every time he did it, it just felt like it was as impulsive as breathing…..Gamora wished him dead….No matter how many times he tried to cooperate with her, no matter how many times he would throw someone else off that damn cliff on Vorimir….She still despised him, she still would try and kill him, and she would still die….By his hands…..

 

No. He couldn’t let these things distract him! He was a god! A god whose sole purpose was fulfilling destiny, he wasn’t a man….He was Destiny in its truest form!

 

As he began to stomp into the darkness, he quickly shined the Power stone to produce a few feet of purple light, it slightly burned his hand just doing this, but at this point, pain was nothing more than a part of life, nothing more than breathing or eating….

 

After a few minutes of exploring the darkened cavern, the titan came across a door, it was large and took a good amount of force to push open, but...This was the same Titan that killed the Hulk multiple times, so it wasn’t that difficult…..

 

As Thanos walked into the next room, a small little golden flower with a smile popped out of the ground, its eyes widening with shock as it saw Thanos.

 

“W-What?!” It said with a slight smirk as the Titan approached it, the old warriors face turning to one of puzzlement as the Flower began to look up at him.

 

Flowey had experienced multiple strange scenarios in the underground, mostly because he was the cause of about 99% of them, he had survived multiple deaths and seen multiple humans down in the underground….But a purple giant? He would have to scratch that one off his bucket list (assuming he even had one).

 

“A flower?” Thanos cocked his head to the side as the flower looked up at him.

  
“Howdy big guy!” Flowey smiled as he stretched up to match Thanos’s height, the vine having to stretch almost 9 more feet just for Flowey to not strain his neck looking up at the Titan.

 

“Boy….Sure haven’t seen anybody that looks like you! Are some kind of weird human or something?!” Flowey winked, sticking his tongue out at the mad Titan, who said nothing.

 

“Wowie! You sure are quiet aren’t cha? Well... that’s okay! You probably don’t know much about this here underground huh? Well, your old pal Flowey the Flower can help you figure things out!”

 

“.....”

 

“ _Jeez, who’s this creep?_ I guess you don’t much about SOULs? Well I’ll teach you everything you need to know!”

 

As Flowey looked into Thanos’s SOUL he instantly gaped, the Titan’s black SOUL was completely torn in half! Only the right side remained! He had never seen a damaged SOUL before! Sure a destroyed one was pretty common….But a damaged SOUL? Who the hell was this guy?! Why was his SOUL torn in half? And for that matter….Why was half of his body burned?!

 

“W-What happened to your SOUL? Why is it...Torn?!”

 

“.....”

 

“Hey...Buddy….I know you understand me….Can you stop being a damn weirdo and speak?! Why the hell is your SOUL damaged?”

 

“.....”

 

“Oh...I get it….Give your best buddy the silent treatment? Well….Just so you know….You can’t SAVE with that piece of crap! Which means…..”

 

Friendliness Pellets began to float around Flowey as his smile slipped into its usual bloodthirsty look.

 

“YOU HAVE NO POWER!!!!” Flowey cackled as the bullets flew towards Thanos, he simply sidestepped as they rocketed past him, causing dirt to fly up from the ground.

 

“HAHAHA! What are you gonna do?! I have all the power!!!! You're just some stupid talking grape!!!! You Id-”  
  
Flowey then felt his entire body get pinned to the ground as Thanos slipped a smile, the power stone glowing purple on the gauntlet as Flowey’s body felt like it was getting crushed by a thousand pounds of pure pressure! Thanos began to speak, his voice was like the voice of a god.

 

“You are nothing…. **A child** ….A waste of time….” Thanos whispered as Flowey began to shake in panic, he couldn’t move! What was this?! How did he do that?!

 

“Get out of my sight….You have no value to me…..”

 

Flowey felt the grip release from his body, he immediately shot up, the Titan already walking away from this waste of time.

 

“Wh-What are you?!” He called out as Thanos began to open the door to the RUINS

 

“The End….” Thanos smiled as he looked back, Flowey shrinking into the ground out of fear.

 

* * *

  


If there was any confirmation that Thanos’s quest still was justified, then it was Flowey….The greed that was present in him….The greed, the willingness to attack a stranger...Sure it may have just applied to the flower, but now all monsters were under Thanos’s judgment….His quest was still going to happen! He just had to figure out how to wipe these pathetic monsters out….

 

As he began to stomp towards the ruins, he heard the sound of rushing feet, as a goat woman began to rush towards him.

 

“Oh my god!” She cried out as she looked up at him, his burned flesh made her weak at the knees as she shuddered in sympathy.

 

“What happened?!” She began to cast healing magic all over the body, the green hue made Thanos’s skin feel slightly better, the nice comforting warmth was something he had not grown used too…..

 

As she began to cast more and more magic, Thanos heard her clasping her mouth in shock.

 

“Why did you do this?” He asked as the green hue continued to glow off his skin. “You have no reason or obligation to help me…….Yet you do anyways…..Why?”

 

“You’re hurt! Y-You have burns all over your body! I need to help!”

 

“You need to do naught…..yet you allow yourself to waste your powers on a madman….”

 

“A madman? Did you do this to yourself?!”

 

“It was part of destiny….If I had hesitated for even a moment….I wouldn’t be here…..”

 

“So….You did do this to yourself…? My god……”

 

“I allowed it to happen….” Thanos began to trudge forward, ignoring the magic, their power only felt nice, it wouldn’t fix the damage done to him, nothing would. “I’ve allowed destiny to do with me what it wishes…And in return, I was fulfilled….”

 

“Was?”

 

“Your world….It’s full of greed, full of hostility….It must be purged for a new, better world to rest upon the grave of this one.....”

 

“Purged?!” The woman uttered a small smile, one of nervousness and puzzlement, “Forgive me...But you’re speaking irrationally….I live in a home not too far from here….We can discuss matters there, but you must be healed….Whatever that horrible creature did to you it-”

 

“The creature? The flower? Heh….Nothing but roots and stems, couldn’t kill me, even if it had the will of a god….”

 

The woman observed the old warrior, his face only showed exhaustion, mentally, physically maybe even spiritually….

 

“Well…..Please, I implore you come with me….” She reached her small gentle hand out, it was a hundred times smaller than Thanos’s yet it rested in his palm very gently, it wasn’t threatening or malicious, it was amiable….Friendly even.

 

He clutched her small hand as she led him into the next room, his left side itched horribly but he found the will not to scratch…..

 

The next room was nothing more than a door, a switch, and a dummy….As Thanos stared in confusion the woman spoke up….

 

“Ah...ha….You must forgive me….I intended for this room to be used as a lesson if any child were to fall down here….”

 

“Child?”

 

“Yes….6 have fallen down here before…..All of them I have taught many essential skills….”

 

“Combat….I understand….I have two daughters, I’ve raised them on combat….Imperative for their survival....”

 

“Ah...No, that’s not quite what I meant….I wish to show them….Pacifism...That the monsters down here are not quite as horrible as they belief….That they can speak with them, **SPARE** them…..”

 

“Spare them?”  
  
“Yes….For you see, we are not all violent people, that craven king Asgore may be willing to kill children….But not all of us wish to see innocents be slaughtered….”

 

“I see.”

 

“Why don’t you practice talking to the dummy? It hasn’t been used in a while….So I’m sure a good conversation would help make its day!”

 

“Speak to an inanimate object? Are you mad?”

 

“Please….It looks lonely…..”  
  
Sighing the Titan sat next to the dummy, as Toriel smiled joyfully at the two beings sitting next to each other as Thanos spoke.

 

“Where is the barrier?” He asked with an intense glare at the dummy, who simply stared off into space…..

 

“Um….Mr.? I don’t think it knows...But, thank you for asking it!” Toriel grinned as Thanos stood up.

 

“It was nothing more than a question….But if it’s satisfactory, then you’re welcome….”

 

“I am….Thank you.”

 

“What is your name goat?”

 

“Toriel….Toriel Dreemur….I guard the RUINS and protect all life down here….What is your name?”

 

“Thanos….I am a deliverer of judgment and fear, I have allowed destiny to take part of me, and now….Destiny calls upon me yet again…..”

 

Toriel stared at him for a moment, his form was so much larger than hers it wasn’t even funny, she smiled at him and took his hand.

 

“Well deliverer, allow me to show you my home!”

 

* * *

 

As they walked, Toriel began to explain to the titan all about the underground, their history, the king….The six dead children….And although she never outright said it, her failure to stop Asgore….Her mistake of allowing the children to leave……And the brutality of the underground all for a simple SOUL.

 

Thanos simply walked in silence at this, before being stopped by Toriel.

 

“Here we are!” She cried out as they approached the new home.

 

The new home was small, it was simple, and it reminded the Titan of his old retirement home, as Toriel began to open the door, Thanos ducked down and into a hallway, following her as she made her way to the table she began to feel the weight of Thanos as even him walking seemed to cause the table chairs to shake, she sat for a moment as Thanos pulled up a chair, he air squatted in it as to not crush it under his weight.

 

“Well Mr. Thanos….You certainly seem to be an odd fellow if you don’t mind me saying….The glove you possess seems broken yet you keep it, your entire body is burned yet you keep speaking about going on a quest even though you look incredibly weak….Who are you? Are you from the surface?”

 

Thanos paused for a moment before answering, he scratched his chin in thought as he recalled the story he had told Dr. Strange millions of times.

 

“I come from a planet that was once beautiful….Its people were like me….”

 

“Another planet?! How is that possible?” Toriel cocked her head like a dog as she asked this, the Titan paused again.

 

“I am the only survivor of what happened, it faced what many places faced, too many mouths; not enough to go around, and so I offered a solution...A solution that was ignored in place of corruption and greed….So they fell, and I became a survior….A survivor whose destiny is to ensure this never happens again…”

 

Toriel studied the Titan as he spoke, the way he moved and held himself, the weight of a thousand universes rested on his shoulders, yet he carried them nonetheless.

 

“Hm, so you’re not human?”

 

“No….”

 

“Well, at least the others won’t attack you…..” She sighed with relief, the titan nodded.

 

A few minutes, maybe hours went by as Thanos placed his head on the chair, resting as the queen of the underground continued to study him.

  
Finally she spoke again.

 

“You mentioned your destiny….How you allowed it to take a part of you….What are you referring to?”

 

Thanos stretched his burned arm he spoke with a heavy voice, not too dissimilar to a preacher during a funeral.

 

“My destiny is to wipe out half of everything in the universe, I simply snapped my fingers and half of all life would cease to exist….I envision the world would be rebuilt under an incorruptible society where none would no suffering or hunger….A small price to pay for salvation….Yet I learned time and time again that they would not worship me, instead….They simply killed me, slaughtered me, ground me up, eventually, I began to doubt….I killed, I betrayed, I allowed my only daughters to betray me….And for what? For the universe to simply undo everything I have committed myself to, yet I see now….Your world is not as pure as theirs, the flower, your king all of them are corrupt and bloodthirsty…..Your people deserve judgement….And the only way to deliver is through unbiased and random chance….”

 

Toriel immediately shot up from the chair as she heard the mad Titan’s plan, fire already beginning to form in her hands.

 

“You’re a madman! Genocide? That’s your destiny? You’ve done this before! How many people have you slaughtered?! Instead of being a benevolent god….You allow families to lose there sons and daughters? You are pathetic! No different from Asgore! You both slay rather than rebuild! Yet you insult the underground more! Your mission is not holy! It is insanity!”

 

“How many children have your king and his disciples slaughtered? Six? You hide in this home instead of stopping him, and he doesn’t change, rebuilding….Rebuilding only allows for the same mistakes to occur….I offered a solution to my people, and they refused….And now….I’m the only one left, I ask you Toriel….Why have you not stopped the death? Instead, you stay here…..Wallowing in defeat and nihilism….”

 

“THAT’S ENOUGH! YOU’RE TOO DANGEROUS TO ALLOW OUT OF THESE RUINS!” Toriel screeched, throwing a small smokescreen up, she quickly rushed out of the room and into the basement.

 

The titan simply brushed the smoke out of his face and followed the old hag downstairs, she began to panic as his boots clomped closer to her.

 

“I will not hesitate you attack you fiend! Do not step any closer!”

 

Thanos smiled and stopped right behind her.

 

“You have shown me hospitality sorceress, yet I will not allow you to stand in the way of destiny….Stand aside and I will spare you….Get in my way….And I will bury you….”

 

Toriel grit her teeth at this, spinning around with fire already cast in her hands, she growled a simple response.

 

“You're not getting anywhere your ‘destiny’”

 

With that, Thanos sighed and slightly turned his head.

 

“So be it….” He began to slowly walk towards her.

 

Fireball after fireball hit the titan, they were nothing more than pebbles to him, easily tanked by his massive form, he didn’t charge at her or use the stones to kill her, instead he just slowly walked towards her, the Power stone beginning to glow as soon as he got close.

 

It was as if a city had been dropped on Toriel’s lungs as Thanos closed his fist, the pressure instantly toppled her like a tower of cards, as she collapsed to the ground she looked up with the fury and passion.

 

“What….Are….You?” She choked as Thanos stepped closer towards her, a sadistic smile creeping across his face.

 

“ **I am Thanos, I have conquered the universe by killing everything around me, I have allowed myself to become a god, yet every time I achieve my mission, I am slain for it, I still continue on, because I know that nothing can come without sacrifice, my destiny will allow me to transcend heaven and Earth….I will rebuild the universe in my image, one where everyone, young and old will live in harmony, with full bellies and peaceful existences….** ”

 

“Ha! A world built on top of corpses is nothing but a facade….You will fail….Others will stop you.”

 

“A facade? Isn’t that what your underground is built on? The false hope of leaving? Of destroying the barrier? I will not fail….And you will not be slain today….Instead…Half of the underground will still exist, I hope they look to you for guidance, you are wise…..”

 

Thanos then picked up the old goat, examined her, and simply threw her aside like a broken doll.

 

Pushing through the door he released Toriel from the Power stone, who screamed in defiance throwing fireball after fireball at him which just felt like water balloons hitting him, even his burned side barely reacted to them, as he exited the RUINS Toriel began to cry, she had failed to stop him and in a cruel twist of fate he had allowed her to live with her failure.

 

* * *

  


“I heard what happened! You’re an idiot for allowing that old hag to live! I should just go over there and kill her myself!” Flowey giggled from inside the earth, as Thanos stepped forward he popped out of the ground with his signature tongue and winky face.

 

“You bore me flower, get out of my way.”

 

Flowey pouted at this, “Awww! Don’t I get to tag along and help you?”

 

Thanos frowned at the pest. “What reason would I have to keep you with me? What do you provide that I do not…?”

 

Flowey smirked, “Well….Let’s just say I’ve been around for longer than any of these IDIOTS...Meaning I know nearly everything there is about the underground, and more importantly….. _How to harness the energy of the barrier_ …..”

 

“You know how to harness the energy? Show me.”

 

“Not so fast grandpa! I want something out of this deal too!”

 

“What do you wish for?”

 

“I want you to bring back a certain friend of mine…..With those colorful rocks of yours….”

 

“How do you know they can bring someone back?”

 

“OH COME ON! I’m not that stupid! I know those rocks on that glove are pretty damn strong! And I think that if you combine their power with the energy of the barrier….Well….You can wipe out half of all life just like you said, and I can bring back the only thing that matters to me…..”  
  
“You have no will….You are truly pathetic and loathsome, yet if you are the only one who has the knowledge to restore the gauntlet…..”

 

“So….Do we have a deal?” Flowey bared his teeth to the Titan who grinned a little in response.

 

“Okay flower, I will bring back your ally, if you give me the knowledge necessary to restore the gauntlet….”

 

Flowey’s eyes began to sparkle at the thought of his one true friend being brought back, surely the Titan could do it? He was powerful enough to shrug off Toriel’s magic attacks, which usually sent him (and sometimes Asgore) flying! If anyone was powerful enough to summon that demon of a child, it was Thanos.

 

“YES! We will become GODS!” Flowey cackled as he began to climb up Thanos’s arm and string his vines around Thanos’s left shoulder, squeezing it as a sign of friendship, and making Thanos grunt in pain.

 

“You need a guide, don’t ‘cha? Well, I think I’m more qualified than anyone to guide you through this hellhole!” Flowey smiled as Thanos nodded in silence, causing Flowey’s smile to grow even larger, ooh this was gonna be so much fun!

 

“Let’s go!” Flowey cheered as Thanos silently walked to the door, it was so much heavier than the other one, he groaned in pain as his arm began to feel sore after a few seconds of pushing, but he pressed on, he wasn’t going to let a door prevent him from his fate…..

 

And so the Titan who once killed half of the Avengers, slaughtered the God of Mischief, and was able to use the gauntlet and survive, now bore a new quest.

 

Destroy half of the underground, purge it and let the new world rebuild atop the cathedral of carcasses that he was able to produce…..

 

He was going to destroy all of it...

 

He was unstoppable....

 

He was….Inevitable…..

**Author's Note:**

> Thought it was a cool Idea, Leave a comment telling me what I need to Improve on/What you enjoyed.


End file.
